Guns, Gore and Cannoli 2 - Review

It feels like an age since I have written a review, it turns out it has only been two weeks.  I started replaying Persona 4 Golden Week and I am struggling to put it down.  Sometimes though you need to take a break from playing a game so you can play another one.  Recently myself and my Nollsy played Guns, Gore and Cannoli and we had a lot of fun, so when we saw a sequel had just been released we thought hells yeah let play it.


I like cannoli, they work really well with coffee. Wait? What?  I know what you are thinking  I said this only recently.  I did, but this time it's a little different.  Have you ever eaten a stale cannoli?  It looks okay from the outside but on the inside, it's barely filled and is dried out.  Playing Guns, Gore and Cannoli 2 I found myself asking was this worthy of the name cannoli?

Story

Vinnie Cannoli is back in the fray and this time it's personal, well it was personal last time, this time it's extra personal.  This time the game is set in 1944, and the event of the first installment has been swept under the rug.  Vinnie ends up getting dragged back to Thugtown and takes a trip to Europe during World War II.

The story is all over the place and not in a comical weird kind of way but just nonsensical. The story has the feeling that you are constantly being set up, which is a little derivative as this was the plot of the first game.  But in honesty it's more than that, everyone wants you dead even though they actually want you alive?!  Vinnie's dialogue is similar to the first game and one of his standout lines was 'some turds are just too big to flush'.

Overall the story is similar to the first game with two exceptions, it doesn't make any sense and also it doesn't make any sense.

Visuals

I have to give props for the visuals they are fun and quite comical for such a dark backdrop.  There is more attention to detail and some of the level designs look great.  My favorites being the Normandy beach landing, the Theater and the Secret Research Base in the woods.

Overall the visuals are improved and only suffer one issue, for some reason this time the camera is panned out quite far.  Great for enjoying the view, not always great when trying to see where you are.

Music 

The score is pretty similar to the first game focusing on a twenties sound.  The score is once again is created by Belgium composer Matthias Claeys who worked on the music for Empire, Siegebreaker, and Coin Army.

The score runs a little over twenty minutes, my favorite tracks being 'Tank Boss Theme',  'Normandie'

and 'Storage Radio Mix'.  

Overall the soundtrack isn't bad but no risks were taken and you would be forgiven for thinking it was the same as the music from the original game.

Gameplay

Sooo, the gameplay.  The first game had a number of issues with the gameplay, it seems like the developer realised this too.  Instead of making minor tweaks they instead ended up doing a 360, you read that right.

The first issue is that it looks like your character is far away, it helps show off the visuals but it is also quite easy to lose track of where you are.  There is now a menu wheel for your weapons, this takes up a large section of the screen and becomes really awkward if both of you are trying to change your weapons.  It's okay in theory but the game is fast paced and having a wheel taking over such a large portion of the screen is crazy.  The game now allows you to shoot and aim upwards, yay!  The only problem is you have one analog stick for movement and another for aiming.   I know what you might be thinking, what's the big deal?  Well for you average release no problem, but for a 2D side-scroller it is needless fiddley and hampers the gameplay.

There are now cars featured in the game that try and run you down, they are kind of fun and add a new element.

Boss battles...boss battles are...they are...a little frustrating.  They are generally quite long and have too many parts to them.  I like a challenge, it's fun but the bosses in this game are just annoying.  In Cuphead, for example, they were tough but they were doable there was a pattern to it, but in Guns, Gore and Cannoli 2 they were just a pain.

Unusually the game silences all swears and even removes it from the on-screen text.  Except for crap, crap apparently is not a swear word which seems to me like a load of $#*!

Final Thoughts

After what felts like twelve hours but was only about five hours how did I feel?  Disappointed.  The sequel had the chance to really improve on the first game, but it didn't and in many ways went backward.  The story was all over the place, the visuals were good, the music was okay but no great changes and the gameplay, oh the gameplay.  Overall this one gets 2 out of 5

Past Cure - Review

Earlier this year Past Cure was released, which is a third-person psychological thriller.  It caught my interest due to the story.  It got slatted quite badly when it came out, but rarely does something like that stop me playing a game.  I saw it pre-owned the other day and thought to myself, why not take the risk?


I like spare ribs done in most styles.  There is one though that does not really do it for me, which Peking Style.  I like Peking Duck but for some reason, it just does not quite do it for me, even though in theory it should.  Playing Past Cure I found myself asking was this just not a tasty style?

Story

The story sees you follow ex-soldier Ian who has can't remember the last three years of his life.  His brother Marcus has put him up in his swanky beach house to help him recover.  Ian wants nothing more than to remember, mostly because he is having scary ass nightmares and hopes that if he remembers what happened he might be able to get rid of them. The worst thing for Ian is that sometimes the dreams start becoming real and trying to keep sane is a full-time struggle.  Luckily he has magic blue pills to keep things in control.


It sounds like an interesting story, right?  It is but it's told poorly, and it was hard to get invested in Ian.  The ending semi-pays off but in honesty, it's all pig and no bacon (I just made that up, not sure if it works).  Overall it is not the worst story but could use a lot more development.

Visuals 


At first glance, the visuals look reasonable but I quickly realised I was mistaken.  Most of the buildings and locations you enter have a very modern look and feel, very minimalist.  However, playing the game I could see this was less to do with an intended design and more to do with possible budget restrictions.  It looks like a game that was released on the XBOX 360 or PlayStation 3, which would be fine if it wasn't 2018.  The nightmare sequences seem interesting at first but very quickly look dull.


Overall not a very exciting visual experience and is in need of more development.



Music


The score is purely backing music and there is not anything engaging or exciting about it, with the exception of the closing credits song.  The composers are Roman Duda, Charlotte Jacobs, and Jen Paeyeneers.  I was unable to find any real information on the composers or their previous works.


The score has eight tracks and runs at just over forty minutes, the only tracks that really stood out were the 'Atmos Fight' and the ending song.  Overall very underwhelming.

Gameplay


Past Cure is a third-person psychological thriller, which sounds exciting, unfortunately, it is not.  Even basic movement feels clunky and awkward, melee combat isn't fun at all, and the cover system is almost non-existent.  The weapons in the game are not very accurate, often shooting an enemy in the head who was only ten feet away would end up missing him altogether.


Early on we learn that Ian has been experimented on and this has granted him certain abilities.  Time Manipulation, Astral Projection and Mind Blast.  Most of the time these abilities will be used to solve puzzles.  The puzzles themselves feel clunky, but most of the time this comes down to the ability being awkward to control.


The thing that scares me is that Past Cure was released this year and got really negative reviews.  Since then Phantom 8 Studio has released patch 1.05, which makes improvements to story and gameplay.  So the version I played is the improved one?  I'm curious what it was like before then.


Overall some disappointing gameplay that could have been so much better.




Final Thoughts

So, after six-plus hours of playing how did I feel?  Disappointed.  The story had some interesting parts to it but just never quite reaches its full potential.  The visuals, music, and gameplay all feel bland and underdeveloped.  This one gets a low 1 out of 5

BioShock Infinite - Mega Review

Back in 2013 BioShock Infinite was released and while it seemed like an interesting idea, my first impression was less than excited.  It might of have been that I couldn't fathom a location being equal to or better than Rapture in the original Bioshock.  I played the game and was really impressed by it.  Flash forward a few years and 2K decide to HD the series up, when it popped up on the PlayStation store recently I thought to myself, yeah I want to play it again.


Recently I have been enjoying pizza, a lot, and eating more than my fair share of it.  There is a really great pizza place in Cork called La Tana, they do authentic Italian pizza, thin bases and fantastic fresh ingredients.  I have had nothing but good experiences, but it's not very everyone my Nollsy has been less than impressed the last couple of times.  Playing BioShock Infinite I found myself is this a really great pizza?

Story

The game has you play as Booker DeWitt, a man who has a lot of debts and now has only way to clear them.  The job is to go to a city called Columbia and bring back a girl called Elizabeth.  The opening act sees you in a small rowboat being brought to a lighthouse, which was very reminiscent of the original BioShock.  Shortly after this, you are transported to Columbia and so your journey begins.  The job seems simple of enough but very quickly things can change.

The game is set in 1912, quite sometime before the events in Rapture.  The world of Columbia is intolerant to most people and they have significant technological advances compared to those everywhere else in the world at that time.  The main story is really interesting and got better as it went along, overall a great story.

The game has three DLC, Clash in the Clouds, Burial At Sea Episode 1 and Episode 2. Clash in the Clouds has no story.  Burial At Sea Episode 1 has you reprise your role as Booker DeWitt and this time you're a P.I. on the search for a girl called Sally.  The story is set in Rapture before everything went completely crazy.  In Episode 2 you play as Elizabeth and continue to search for Sally, the story is better than Episode 1 and adds to the Bioshock universe.

Overall the DLC's aren't bad but are not a patch on the main story of Bioshock Infinite.

Visuals

No matter how you feel about the Bioshock series it's hard to knock the visuals.  The world it creates feels both real and surreal.  The lighthouse is one of the first things you see, it looks impressive, waves crashing around it and the storm really adds to it.  While the game looks amazing, for me one of the most impressive things is the first time you get to lay eyes on the floating city of Columbia, there is just some breathtaking about it.  One of the eerie things in the game is Fink's Factory which sees workers moving like robots to a kind of beat, very unnerving indeed.

The game is visually impressive and in some ways more so than Rapture.  Speaking of Rapture Burial At Sea Episode 1 and 2 see you return there.  It is very similar to my first experience with the original Bioshock, only this time the world has not quite fallen apart.  Little Sisters are walking around creepily but in control and so are the people, well mostly.

Overall the main game and the DLC are quite impressive and I enjoyed my time in both Columbia and Rapture.

Music

Bioshock has a very distinct sound, and that sound is foreboding which is created mainly using stringed instruments, specifically the violin.  In BioShock Infinite there is very turn of the century sound which features fun piano pieces and a barbershop quartet. The creator of this sound is American composer Garry Schyman who has worked on games, movies, and TV.  Some of his works include Magnum P.I., The A-Team, Never Too Young To Die, The Last Hour, Destroy All Humans, Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War.

Including the DLC the score runs at over ninety minutes and only half that is from the main game.  My favorite tracks include, 'Elizabeth', 'Sunk', 'That Poor Child', 'Nocturne Op 9', 'La Vie En Rose (Orchestral), 'Letuce', 'The Girl in the Tower', 'Rory O More/Saddle The Pony', 'Solace' and 'Will The Circle Be Unbroken'.

Overall it's a good soundtrack with a very distinct sound that has helped define the Bioshock series.

Gameplay

Similar to the other games in the series BioShock Infinite is in first-person.  The game this time provides you with vigors which give you some pretty cool abilities my favorites being Possession and Bucking Bronco.  Possession is pretty self-explanatory and later on, it can be upgraded so that when the ability wears off of on any they will kill themselves.  Bucking Bronco sends a large wave out that knocks enemies into the air and has them stay there for a few seconds.  Like a good night out you need to make sure to have salt to ensure you don't get drunk too quickly, or in the case of BioShock Infinite, it allows you to use your Vigors.  

Guns! There are a good few weapons to choose from, the Burst Rifle and Machine Gun being my favorites.  All weapons can be upgraded as you go along, which is well worth doing especially the ones that increase ammunition. 

The game has gear which you can use to enhance certain abilities, but in honesty, I found them needless.  The game can be challenging on occasion but unless you play the game on the hardest difficulty they are of no real advantage.  

One of the best parts of the gameplay is Elizabeth, 'You don't need to protect Elizabeth, she can take care of herself'.  That message pops up the first time she is in combat with you and it is 100% true, in fact she takes care of you.  Running low on ammo?  Need a gun?  Need salt?  Need to be revived?  Need a pizza?  She will get it all for you, not the pizza, but she does give you money so you could buy a pizza.  Elizabeth is easily in the top five partners in a game, and for me in the top three female characters in a game.  I like her character, story, and she holds her own.

The main campaign gameplay is really good, save for the largely pointless gear.  The DLC is a mixed bag for me.  Clash in the Clouds felt pointless, a bunch of arena battles, no story and it has no impact on the story.  Burial At Sea Episode 1 is a more toned down and is not very exciting gameplay wise.  Burial At Sea Episode 2 gives Elizabeth some of her own weapons and Vigors.  Peeping Tom was a great Vigor and gives you the ability to see enemies through walls.  The Radar Range weapon basically causes pain to enemies before turning them into tomato soup. 

Overall the gameplay is pretty good throughout, the only thing that really lets it down is the gear and some of the gameplay in the DLC.

Final Thoughts

After thirty plus hours in Columbia and Rapture, how did I feel?  Pretty good.  The story is really interesting, the visuals are great, the music works well and for the most part, the gameplay is good.  In honesty, my biggest criticism would be the DLC, while it added a little something to the game and the series as a whole in honesty in felt unneeded.  In fact, the only thing that really stood out to me was the ending of Burial at Sea Episode 2.

Overall I enjoyed my time playing the game, and while the DLC was not the best as a whole package it worked pretty well.  This one gets a solid 4 out of 5

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice - Review

Last year Hellblade Senua's Sacrifice was released.  I remember liking the look and overall feel of the game, but when it was released I was distracted by other games and I promptly forgot about it.  I remembered it again recently and thought this time I just have to play it - so I did!


I like Turkish coffee, it's rich, thick and black, but it's also bitter.  Adding a little sugar to it helps, but really what you want is some Turkish Delight (not that Fry's rubbish, the real stuff).  The combination of Turkish Coffee and Turkish Delight help create an interesting and tasty experience.  Playing Hellblade Senua's Sacrifice I found myself asking was this interesting combination or was it something I would regret trying later?

Story


The story is about Senua, a woman who has lost the man she loves Dillion.  The Goddess of Death Hela has taken his soul, and Senua has made it her mission to get it back.  Apart from the mental health warning at the start of the game, it's clear early on that Senua is suffering a psychosis.  She is hearing voices, some positive and some not so much.  The game has Senua battle for Dillion's soul along with battling her own demons.


The game uses Norse Mythology for its backdrop which works really, and the lorestones you find scattered throughout the game help build upon this.  Playing Hellblade Senua's Sacrifice I often felt more like I was reading someone's diary then simply taking control of a character.  The story of Senua is sad and troubling, I really felt connected with the character and what she was experiencing.


Overall a really interesting story that is very different from anything I have experienced before. 

Visuals


The game is visually beautiful, with some really great and also grim scenery.  Playing the game I got to see snow-capped mountains, forests and the ruins of a forgotten world.  There were two areas in the games that really stood out for me visually, the ship graveyard (well that's what I called it), and the sea of corpses.  The ship graveyard was littered with husks of old Viking style ships, some of which you could navigate through. Then there was the grim sea of corpses, it was exactly as it sounds, there are hands of the dead reaching for you and general suffering going on all around you - happy times.


Overall the game looks beautiful and is really good at creating an atmospheric world.



Music


The soundtrack is...interesting.  It combines a Viking style sound of music with an atmospheric, bordering on the trippy soundscape.  I didn't play the game wearing headphones but I think if I had it would have really enhanced my experience.  The soundtrack is created by David Garcia and Andy LaPlegue.  Garcia is an American composer, musician and so much more who helped create the sound for Rime, Deadlight and Day of the Viking. LaPlegua is a Norwegian singer and musician who plays an electronic style of music and has created and been part of the bands, Icon of Coil, Panzer AG, and Combichrist.


The soundtrack runs a little over ninety minutes and includes some great tracks, my favorites being
'Beast', 'Bridge Combat', 'Valravn', and 'Surtr Fight'.  While the soundtrack may not be my favorite it does a great job at creating a tense atmosphere.

Gameplay


The game has you play from a third-person perspective,  the gameplay itself moves between storytelling and dealing with Senua's voices to some aggressive combat.  The first two-thirds of the game is light on combat but the final third is pretty full on.  What made the combat feel so aggressive for me was the angered and pain noises Senua made, it didn't feel overused and felt like even when you were not in combat you were still fighting.  The combat is pretty smooth and works well, with only one looming issue which was evasion.  Occasionally blocking wasn't enough especially when surrounded by enemies, in those times I would try to evade but Senua was quite bad at it.  Normally I wouldn't be so critical but it really affected the flow of battle and considering how good her swordplay it didn't seem unreasonable to think she could evade a little better.  Overall though the combat was pretty solid and I had a lot of fun with the boss battles.

When you're not battling mentally or physically you will have little puzzles to solve.  Most of the puzzles take the form of finding runes in the surrounding area, for example, if you were standing at a particular angle two random bits of wood might look like a rune.  Initially, I liked them but as I progressed I found them a little tiresome.  Additionally on occasion when I was looking at the runes the game would not recognise them which could be a little flustering.  Later in the game, you will get to take on Odin's Trails, one of them focuses on your sensory perception and you spend most it blind.  I found it very interesting, especially as they managed to incorporate this element into the game later during combat.


Overall a lot of enjoyable gameplay and was only let down by some relatively minor things.




Final Thoughts

So, after ten plus hours how did I feel?  Really good.  The story was interesting, the visuals were beautiful, the music was odd at times but helped create a certain something.  The gameplay was fairly solid and had they worked out a few issues would have been perfect.  Overall this one nearly got top marks but  in the end got a respectable 4 out of 5

Outlast - Review

At the end of last year, I caught a glimpse of a game called Outlast on a YouTube video called something like 'Horror Games You Need To Wear A Nappy While Playing'.  I am not big into horror movies but I do enjoy the occasional horror game.  I enjoyed Until Dawn, and for the most part the Fear series.  I decided the other evening it might be fun to play a horror game, so I decided to play Outlast.


Marmite.  Even saying it sends shivers down my spine.  It's like when you are making gravy, and you get distracted for a second, it turns into a giant brown lump with mini brown lumps in it.  Imagine how that would taste, and you almost know how bad marmite tastes.  That all being said some people love it, I don't know who they are or why they like it, but to each their own.  Playing Outlast I found myself asking was this my Marmite?

Story

The start of the game is pretty bold, before you have even taken control of investigative reporter Miles Upshur you are given a rundown of the game in the form of a note.  The gist of the note is that that game is filled with blood, gore, and sexual references.  More than that you will only be armed with one item - a video camera to investigate the dark rumors of Mount Massive Asylum.  The Murkoff Corporation runs the facility and is a so-called charity group, two minutes into the game and you might be forgiven for thinking this is a flagrant lie.  I can't really say more than that without ruining the entire plot of the game.

Overall the story is consistently so-so, with the documents you find throughout the game being the only thing of interest, outside of Mile's great notes.  One of my favorite notes has the line '...it looks like someone fuck-started his head with a cheese grater'.  When the final curtain drops the story goes from so-so, to massively disappointing.

Visuals

There are good and bad points about setting a game in an asylum.   One of the good points is that you know it is going to have a freaky vibe, one of the bad points is that an asylum looks like a prison and can often be very samey.  The patients you come across are unnerving the first time you see them but this wears off quickly.  The scariest looking character to me was Trager (pictured above), I mean he clearly works out, and he doesn't even seem to be aware he has tubes stuck in his arms.

Overall the game puts me in mind of the original Fear, due to budget constraints a lot of areas are shrouded in darkness in an attempt to hide the game's underdeveloped visuals.

Music

I like game soundtracks, I think they help add to the overall atmosphere of the game.  There was never a moment during the game I forgot I was in an asylum, but just in case I was tempted to try and forget I would then hear moaning strings and sounds that went down my spine like nails on a blackboard.  The haunting soundtrack was created by French-Canadian composer Samuel Laflamme, who created the music for Tiny Brains and Outlast 2.

While the soundtrack is unnerving it is more like ninety minutes of ambient noise than actual music.  I found it difficult to pick out any one piece that sounded hugely different from any other.  Overall the music/soundscape worked for the game but in no way did it stand out.

Gameplay

The gameplay is relatively simple, use your camera to document all the craziness while trying not to die.  The camera has night vision which is great for seeing the scary things all around you, it eats battery, but luckily and strangely there are spare batteries everywhere.

Lights, camera, run for your life!  There are patients at Mount Massive Asylum that are indifferent to you, and there are others who want to brutally kill you.  You can't fight anyone but you can run and hide, all those of years of getting stuffed into lockers at school finally pays off for Miles who can easily slide inside them, sometimes though to feel really safe he can hide under a bed.  In honesty though with only a few exceptions, you can just run your backside off to escape rather than spending time hiding. 

Overall there is not a lot to the gameplay and the only break you have from running and hiding is flicking switches and pressing buttons.  Oh wait, you will also have to run and hide then as well.  I feel the gameplay could have had a little more to it and the camera mechanic got old fast.

Final Thoughts

So, after eight hours of play how did I feel?  Underwhelmed and disappointed.  The story is so-so and the ending was quite disappointing.  The visuals were scary in parts but generally quite dull.  The music/soundscape worked for the game worked for the game but lacked a certain something.  The gameplay itself started interesting but like most of the other elements became dull quickly.  Overall this one gets 2 out of 5 and Mile's note below certainly sums up my feelings about this game.

Sonic The Hedgehog on the Master System - Review

I've been thinking a lot about the Sega Master System recently, it was the first games console we had at home, and I felt really lucky to have one.  One of my favorites games on the Sega Master System was Sonic The Hedgehog, the experience is very different from that of the Sega Megadrive.  In a lot of ways, I think the Sega Master System Version is superior, especially as there are different zones and a great if not small soundtrack.   A couple of weeks back I went onto eBay and decided to buy back a little bit of my childhood and bought a Sega Master System II.


I like Wagon Wheels.  For those of you not familiar with them they are mallow and biscuit covered in chocolate.  While I don't eat Wagon Wheels as much anymore I do always enjoy my experience when having them, especially with a cup of milk or tea.  Playing Sonic The Hedgehog on the Master System I found myself asking was this still enjoyable?

Story

As a child, I never really thought about the story of Sonic too much, but thinking about it as an adult, it's kind of dark.  There's Sonic, who is just chilling out with all these happy other creatures on the islands they call home.  Out of nowhere, this evil scientist called Dr. Robotnik snatches up your friends and is looking to turn them into robots.  If that wasn't bad enough he is setting up shop and essentially destroying the beauty of the islands.  Sonic is a little unhappy about this and decides to put an end to Dr. Robotnik and his evil scheme.

Overall the story is pretty slim but for a game of this length, it's not really necessary to have anything more detailed.

Visuals

The game offers some great visuals, and my two favorite zones have to be Jungle Zone and Scrap Brain Zone.  Jungle Zone is exactly what it sounds like, it's fun, dangerous and very green.  Scrap Brain Zone is very industrial looking and very much has the feel of a place where dark things happen.

Sonic and the enemies are slightly more simplified by comparison of its Megadrive counterpart but still manage to look great.

Overall the game offers some great, fun visuals that hold up pretty well to the test of time.

Music

The soundtrack may only be short but is really diverse, everything from happy and almost peaceful sounds to darker and more mechanical ones.  The soundtrack was composed by Japanese composer Yuzo Koshiro, some of his works include, The Revenge of Shinobi, The Streets of Rage series, Half-Minute Hero and Project X Zone 2.

Koshiro manages to cram a lot into a soundtrack that is under fifteen minutes long, there are only a few tracks but pretty much all of them are gold.  My favorite tracks being, Boss Theme, Jungle Zone Theme, and Scrap Brain Zone Theme.  

Overall a great soundtrack!

Gameplay

Sonic is a side-scrolling game, that can be played by running through each level as quickly as possible or taking your time to explore.  Slow and steady is the better way to go so that you can collect all the rings and chaos emeralds.

Jumping is pretty much your own weapon with exception of some occasional rolling.  There are some powers up to be enjoyed including, invisibility, super speed, and a bubble shield.

The game works well most of the time and there are only a couple of times I felt like I was getting screwed.  The Labriynth Zone is one of the worst as the water makes it tough to get around and dying is a lot easier.  The final confrontation with Dr. Robotnik is pretty bad as I found it quite awkward to time attacks.

Overall though, with the exception of one or two things the gameplay is pretty good and a lot of fun.

Final Thoughts

So, after a few hours of playing how did I feel?  Pretty damn good, my childhood memory of Sonic was spot on and I look forward to trying it again in the future.  The story, visuals, and music were a lot of fun.  The gameplay had a couple of annoying parts, but nothing that spoiled my fun too much.  This one gets a solid 4 out of 5

Guns, Gore, and Cannoli

Sometimes I am just not sure what to play, when this happens I inevitably see what's on offer on the PlayStation Store (Steam has way too much on offer).  On one of these recent occasions, I came across a fun comic style action adventure shooter called Guns, Gore, and Cannoli.  It sounded and looked like my kind of fun so I thought why not give it a go.


Cannoli are crispy Italian pastries filled with sugary goodness.  I like them but I just realised while typing this I would probably like them more with coffee roll on Sunday.  They are crispy and really sweet which may not be everyone, but they do it for me.  Playing Guns, Gore, and Cannoli I found myself asking, do I really like cannoli?

Story


The story is about an enforcer for the Bellucci family called Vinnie Cannoli.  The game is set in the 1920's during the time of prohibition, in a delightful place called Thugtown. Vinnie has just pulled into Thugtown only to find it overrun with zombies, unfazed by this he decides to finish his job, find Frankie.


The story is fun and there is lots of cheesy dialogue and some fun catchphrases, my favorites being, 'Napoleon Blown-Apart' after...well blowing apart an enemy and 'He had more brains than I thought," after shooting someone in the head.  The only drawback as such was that the subtitles never seemed to match the dialogue.

Visuals


The visuals used in the game are a fun comic book style which I really liked.  Everything has a slightly over-exaggerated feel which works really well with the kind of game Guns, Gore, and Cannoli is.  One of my favorite enemies at least in terms of the design was the Leprechaun zombies, they float around on balloons throwing bombs and shouting gibberish. 


Overall a visually fun game that I never get tired of looking at.



Music



The score has a swinging twenties sound and like with everything else in the game works really well.  The music is composed by Belgium composer Matthias Claeys who has also worked on the music for Empire, Siegebreaker, and Coin Army.


The score runs a little over twenty minutes and is just the right length (hehe), my favorite tracks include, 'When Cannolies Come Marching Home', 'Top of The Bellucci State', 'The Overwhelmed Way to Zeppelins', and 'Thugtown Edge'.


Overall a short but fun soundtrack that works well with the game.

Gameplay


Onto the Cannoli, I mean meat.  With an army of zombies and wise guys, you're going to need guns, lots of guns.  There are quite a few weapons to choose from which unlock at a steady pace, my favorite one being the Tommy Gun.  My complaints with the guns are that almost all of them reload really slowly, which did impact my experience.  While you do have lots of guns you also have Molotov cocktails and turning enemies into bacon was always fun.


There are a lot of different enemies, all varying in difficulty, but for me, there was one enemy that really stood out from the rest - the football player zombie.  No matter what weapon I had equipped he always managed to send me flying.


I had two rather larger issues with the gameplay, the first was stairs, getting up them was often a complicated task.  The game for some reason just didn't recognise them all the time and did cause problems on more than one occasion.  The biggest problem I had was that you could not shoot up!  Between some of the floating enemies and the final boss, this was a real a pain.


Overall it had some great gameplay which could have been improved by some relatively minor changes.




Final Thoughts

So, after six or so hours how did I feel?  Pretty good, I had a lot of fun, the story, music, and visuals were good but the gameplay suffered from a few annoying issues.  I want to give a big shout to Nolls who helped me enjoy this experience by playing it in co-op with me - thanks Nolls!  Right, back to it, this one gets a solid 3 out of  5